Siege of Paris (1590)
Encyclopedia
The Siege of Paris took place in 1590 during the French Wars of Religion
when the French Royal Army
under Henry of Navarre
, and supported by the French Huguenots, failed to capture the city of Paris
defended by the Catholic League
, and finally successfully relieved by the Spanish-Catholic army under the command of Don Alessandro Farnese, Duke of Parma
.
at the Battle of Ivry
on 14 March, 1590, Henry of Navarre
advanced with his troops on his main objective of Paris
, possession of which would allow him to confirm his contested claim to the French throne. Paris at the time was a large walled city of around 200,000–220,000 people.
. Henry had at this point only around 12,000–13,000 troops, facing an enemy of around 30,000–50,000. Owing to the limited amount of heavy siege artillery
that Henry had brought, it was likely that Paris could only be compelled to surrender through starvation
. The city's defense was placed in the hands of the young Charles Emmanuel, Duke of Nemours.
Henry set up his artillery on the hills of Montmartre
, and bombarded the city from there. In July his force was swelled by reinforcements to 25,000 and by August he had overrun all the outlying suburbs of the city. Henry tried to negotiate the surrender of Paris
, but his terms were rejected and the siege continued.
On 30 August, news reached the city that a Spanish-Catholic relief army under the general Don Alessandro Farnese, Duke of Parma
(Spanish
: Alejandro Farnesio), was on its way. The Duke of Parma and his troops was able to send food supplies into the city, and after a final attack on the ramparts failed, Henry broke off his siege and retreated. An estimated 40,000–50,000 of the population died during the siege, most of starvation.
, Henry IV converted to Catholicism
, declaring that "Paris is worth a Mass". The war-weary Parisians turned on the Catholic League's
hardliners when they continued the conflict even after Henry had converted. Paris jubilantly welcomed the newly baptised Roman Catholic Henry in 1593 and he was crowned King of France. He later issued the Edict of Nantes
in an attempt to end the religious strife that had torn the country apart.
French Wars of Religion
The French Wars of Religion is the name given to a period of civil infighting and military operations, primarily fought between French Catholics and Protestants . The conflict involved the factional disputes between the aristocratic houses of France, such as the House of Bourbon and House of Guise...
when the French Royal Army
Henry IV of France
Henry IV , Henri-Quatre, was King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the Bourbon branch of the Capetian dynasty in France....
under Henry of Navarre
Henry IV of France
Henry IV , Henri-Quatre, was King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the Bourbon branch of the Capetian dynasty in France....
, and supported by the French Huguenots, failed to capture the city of Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
defended by the Catholic League
Catholic League (French)
The Catholic League of France, sometimes referred to by contemporary Roman Catholics as the Holy League, a major player in the French Wars of Religion, was formed by Duke Henry of Guise in 1576...
, and finally successfully relieved by the Spanish-Catholic army under the command of Don Alessandro Farnese, Duke of Parma
Alexander Farnese, Duke of Parma
Alexander Farnese was Duke of Parma and Piacenza from 1586 to 1592, and Governor of the Spanish Netherlands from 1578 to 1592.-Biography:...
.
Background
After his decisive Protestant victory over the Catholic forces commanded by Charles, Duke of Mayenne and Charles of Guise, Duke of AumaleCharles, Duke of Aumale
Charles of Guise, duc d'Aumale was the son of Claude, Duke of Aumale and Louise de Brézé.-Biography:...
at the Battle of Ivry
Battle of Ivry
The Battle of Ivry was fought on 14 March 1590, during the French Wars of Religion. The battle was a decisive victory for Henry of Navarre, the future Henry IV of France, leading Huguenot forces against the Catholic League forces led by the Duc de Mayenne...
on 14 March, 1590, Henry of Navarre
Henry IV of France
Henry IV , Henri-Quatre, was King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the Bourbon branch of the Capetian dynasty in France....
advanced with his troops on his main objective of Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, possession of which would allow him to confirm his contested claim to the French throne. Paris at the time was a large walled city of around 200,000–220,000 people.
Siege of Paris
On 7 May, Henry's army surrounded the city, imposing a blockade and burning windmills to prevent a food supply from reaching ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. Henry had at this point only around 12,000–13,000 troops, facing an enemy of around 30,000–50,000. Owing to the limited amount of heavy siege artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
that Henry had brought, it was likely that Paris could only be compelled to surrender through starvation
Starvation
Starvation is a severe deficiency in caloric energy, nutrient and vitamin intake. It is the most extreme form of malnutrition. In humans, prolonged starvation can cause permanent organ damage and eventually, death...
. The city's defense was placed in the hands of the young Charles Emmanuel, Duke of Nemours.
Henry set up his artillery on the hills of Montmartre
Montmartre
Montmartre is a hill which is 130 metres high, giving its name to the surrounding district, in the north of Paris in the 18th arrondissement, a part of the Right Bank. Montmartre is primarily known for the white-domed Basilica of the Sacré Cœur on its summit and as a nightclub district...
, and bombarded the city from there. In July his force was swelled by reinforcements to 25,000 and by August he had overrun all the outlying suburbs of the city. Henry tried to negotiate the surrender of Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, but his terms were rejected and the siege continued.
On 30 August, news reached the city that a Spanish-Catholic relief army under the general Don Alessandro Farnese, Duke of Parma
Alexander Farnese, Duke of Parma
Alexander Farnese was Duke of Parma and Piacenza from 1586 to 1592, and Governor of the Spanish Netherlands from 1578 to 1592.-Biography:...
(Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
: Alejandro Farnesio), was on its way. The Duke of Parma and his troops was able to send food supplies into the city, and after a final attack on the ramparts failed, Henry broke off his siege and retreated. An estimated 40,000–50,000 of the population died during the siege, most of starvation.
Aftermath
After repeated failures to take the capital city of ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, Henry IV converted to Catholicism
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
, declaring that "Paris is worth a Mass". The war-weary Parisians turned on the Catholic League's
Catholic League
Catholic League may refer to:*Catholic League , created by Henry of Guise, in 1576 during the French Wars of Religion*Catholic League , a confederation of Catholic German states formed to counteract the Protestant Union...
hardliners when they continued the conflict even after Henry had converted. Paris jubilantly welcomed the newly baptised Roman Catholic Henry in 1593 and he was crowned King of France. He later issued the Edict of Nantes
Edict of Nantes
The Edict of Nantes, issued on 13 April 1598, by Henry IV of France, granted the Calvinist Protestants of France substantial rights in a nation still considered essentially Catholic. In the Edict, Henry aimed primarily to promote civil unity...
in an attempt to end the religious strife that had torn the country apart.
See also
- War of the Three Henrys
- Religion in FranceReligion in FranceFrance is a country where freedom of religion and freedom of thought are guaranteed by virtue of the 1789 Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. The Republic is based on the principle of laïcité enforced by the 1880s Jules Ferry laws and the 1905 French law on the Separation of the...
- Edict of NantesEdict of NantesThe Edict of Nantes, issued on 13 April 1598, by Henry IV of France, granted the Calvinist Protestants of France substantial rights in a nation still considered essentially Catholic. In the Edict, Henry aimed primarily to promote civil unity...
- Anglo-Spanish War (1585–1604)
- List of French monarchs
- List of wars and disasters by death toll